Finding Her Place: Charity Pleasant Returns to the Buckeye Book Fair

By Christina Hartmann-Benchoff

Christina Hartmann‑Benchoff, founder of Prickle Forrest Books and a devoted advocate for Ohio’s indie and self‑published authors, will be writing a new column spotlighting the state’s independent literary talent for the Buckeye Book Fair.

For author Charity Pleasant, community is more than simply being surrounded by other people. It is a place where she can be herself, ask for advice, offer a helping hand, and celebrate the successes of others.

For the Columbus, Ohio author, that sense of belonging can be found with the Grove City Writer’s Group, where she has been a member for the past several years. There, she has found encouragement, knowledge, patience, and fellow writers who have welcomed her with open arms.

“I know I’m in community when the encouragement I receive pushes me towards being a more confident writer,” she says. “When there’s so much positivity in the room, and sometimes patience, I really feel like I belong.”

Pleasant believes a true community works like a team—one where people can learn from one another, lend support when it is needed, and genuinely celebrate each other’s victories.

As a first-time attendee last year, Pleasant says she had the opportunity to be part of encouraging reading and literacy through the Buckeye Book Fair.

“I believe in the power of a great story,” she says. “One can never go wrong with spending a few minutes inside of a good book.”

Now returning for her second year, Pleasant is looking forward to another opportunity to connect with readers and fellow book lovers.

Visitors to her table will find her collection of books, including The Neighborhood, All the Things That Nobody Told Me: Finding the Extraordinary in My Journey, and Life Coach in a Book: Your Guide to Achieving Your Self-Publishing Goals, as well as her newest release, Gratitude Journal. Her collection includes both nonfiction and fiction, offering readers a variety of stories and experiences to explore.

And there’s another reason to stop by. While supplies last, visitors who make a purchase can choose a freebie from Pleasant’s table.

For Charity Pleasant, books have the power to take readers into another world, but the people who gather around those books can be just as meaningful. Whether she is sharing ideas with fellow writers in Grove City or meeting readers at the Buckeye Book Fair, Pleasant has found that community can be a place where everyone has a chance to belong—and where one person’s encouragement can help another person grow.

Stop by Charity Pleasant’s table at the 2026 Buckeye Book Fair, discover her books, and perhaps take home a little something extra along with your next good read.